Flaky Sourdough Croissants Chocolate (Printable)

Buttery, tangy sourdough croissants with crisp layers and luscious dark chocolate filling, perfect for breakfast or snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sourdough Croissant Dough

01 - 3.5 cups bread flour
02 - 0.5 cup active sourdough starter at 100% hydration
03 - 0.93 cup whole milk, cold
04 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg for egg wash

→ Butter Layer

08 - 1.75 cups unsalted European-style butter, cold for laminating

→ Filling

09 - 4.2 ounces high-quality dark chocolate at least 60% cocoa, cut into 12 batons

# Step-by-step Directions:

01 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sourdough starter, milk, sugar, salt, and softened butter. Mix until a rough dough forms. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
02 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and bulk ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, performing 2 stretch-and-folds at 1-hour intervals. Refrigerate overnight for 8 to 12 hours.
03 - Place cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound and roll into an 8 by 8 inch square. Refrigerate until firm.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12 by 12 inch square. Place butter block in the center, fold dough over to encase butter. Roll out to a 24 by 8 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds in letter fold pattern. Chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding twice more, chilling 30 minutes between each turn.
05 - Roll dough out to a 24 by 12 inch rectangle, approximately 0.16 inch thick. Cut into 12 long triangles with base about 4 inches. Place a chocolate baton at the wide end of each triangle, then roll tightly toward the tip. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, tip side down.
06 - Cover loosely and proof at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours, or until doubled and very puffy. If kitchen is cold, proof in a slightly warm, draft-free spot.
07 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water and gently brush croissants. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp.
08 - Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your sourdough starter finally gets to shine beyond weekday toast, transforming into something that tastes like a French patisserie decided to move into your kitchen.
  • The lamination process is meditative once you get the hang of it—each fold is proof that patience and cold butter create something genuinely transcendent.
  • Dark chocolate pooling in flaky layers feels more elegant than it has any right to be, yet it's something you can actually pull off at home.
02 -
  • Cold butter is non-negotiable—if it starts turning soft during lamination, stop immediately and chill everything, or you'll end up with greasy, dense croissants instead of shattered, flaky ones.
  • The egg wash must be gentle; heavy brushing deflates all your careful proofing and creates thick, doughy spots instead of crisp exterior.
  • Chocolate batons should be relatively thin and dry before rolling—moisture bleeding out creates soggy dough near the filling, ruining texture.
  • Your timeline stretches or contracts based on kitchen temperature; cold kitchens need longer proofs, warm ones might need less, so trust visual cues over clock time.
03 -
  • Make a note of your kitchen's average temperature during the season you're baking—this becomes your secret decoder for timing, helping you adjust proofing windows without second-guessing yourself.
  • If you're nervous about lamination, do a practice run with a low-stakes dough first, or film yourself laminating so you can review afterward and spot where butter escaped or dough tore.
  • Keep parchment paper under your croissants during proofing, not moving them until bake time—every shift flattens puffiness and disrupts the delicate rise you've been nurturing.
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